Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl01016)

I'd like to add my two cents here about school and athletics and kids for what
it is worth ... I believe that education in its ideal form would be a marvelous
thing.  However, at this time and in this country, and inasmuch as I and many
others do not approve, I believe school is better off being a rehearsal ground
for the real world.  Even if it means enduring organized sports and all of the
interpersonal dynamics (such as derisive comments and controlled violence) that
go along with it.   I sit here in the office and observe an incredible array of
behavior ... it's nothing more than another form of "grown-ups" and "children",
i.e., if you get an office on the perimeter of the building with the view you
get to be a "grownup", if not than you're administrative staff or the
"children".  Insofar that professional staff, even the youngsters who have yet
to be broken in, consider themselves above and beyond it all.  It is truly
pitiful.  But, what would the alternative be if we were to leave our children
in an educational institution that was pure in form yet did not provide them
with the tools they need to survive in our country as it is now?  A catch 22,
I'm afraid.

Our country is in such a state of overall decay that many of its people, in
fact TOO many of its people, have found themselves plunged into the dismal
abyss of fear ... and consequently they find themselves either giving up hope
completely (and getting into drugs and such) or looking for other things that
can offer them comraderie and a sense of family (i.e., gangs).  The human
animal is innately social.  The parents who either don't want to or can't get
involved with their children's education and lives must eventually deal with
the reality that children, unless badly abused and damaged, are driven to seek
out what they need.  What they end up finding is the problem.  I read an
article in the paper this morning about three children in Oakland, California  L
ittle kids, like ages 6 through 8, who decided they were going to steal a
neighbor's tricycle.  They waltzed into their targeted apartment while a
babysitter was in the shower, and decided as an aside to beat up the four week
old baby that was in a basinet.  They pulled it out, kicked it, punched it,
cracked it's skull -- then, took the tricycle and went along their merry way.
It was discovered because the 6 year old was talking about it in his
neighborhood.  What circumstances are in existance now that would turn children
into psychopaths?  And what kind of adults will this generation of child become?

Okay so let's say that somehow parents and teachers DO get improved ... then
what?  It is harder than ever to be successful in this country.  The small
businessman is an endangered species.  Finding success in money making fields
such as real estate investment or stock has been made virtually impossible by
the imposed monopolies of established entitities.

I wish I had answers to these and other questions.  My hope lies in the growing
trend of spiritual awareness.  In people like witches, pagans, theosophists and
the like.  It lies in the knowledge that the coming millenium will act as a
catalyst for a change in the world, a gradual change, but a change
nonetheless.  This is my hope.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Alex,
I am passing this on from Karl.

Nick.

> Date: Wednesday, April 24, 1996 3:30PM
> From: Karl A Bryan
> Subject: Re: FW: Thank you

          I would like to add the following:
                I feel that we should not be supporting the athletics
          industry by the heavy promoting and special treatment that
          sports gets in school.  The academics get cut before the
          football and basketball are cut.  We do need an outlet for
          stored up physical energy, but the outlet does not need to
          be in school.  And as far as sports teaching team work and
          cooperation, bull crap.  The team mentality is an us against
          them with a strong emphasis on dehumanizing the opponent
          (just listen to some of the cheers that the sanctioned
          cheerleader squads shout).  The player with the most points
          is the school hero, eventhough the rest of the team set the
          stage for the making of points.  And pity the team players
          who sit on the bench, they are recipients of derisive
          remarks.  So, where is the team building and cooperation
          being taught?  I feel that they are best taught in the
          classroom when you have assignments that require a
          collaborative effort to accomplish.  But the pro sports
          would not have the screening (weeding out) of potential
          players if it were not from highschool and college
          athletics.  Plus, the alumni are more inclined to donate
          money to their alma-mater if the school has a winning team.

          Our countries focus on sports is an escape from focusing on
          the real problems of society.

          karl

> Subject: FW: Thank you
> Author:  nlporreco@bpa.gov at Internet
> Date:    4/23/96 7:13 PM

> From: theos-l
> Subject: Re: Thank you
> Date: Tuesday, April 23, 1996 1:32AM

At 05:20 PM 4/22/96 -0400, you wrote:
>>>>>cut<<<<<<
>With good reason at least here in the U.S.

The Religious Right objects to public education but for anything BUT the
reasons which cause you and I to object to it. I have students in several
countries and believe me education is in a parlous state in more places than

the USA. But the point is, the Religious Right objects to our system as
being not fit for THEIR agenda, and they could acre less about a proper
education. All they're interested in is rigid discipline and
pseudo-morality.
>
>The performance of our public education, especially
>considering the amount of money spent, is dismal compared to other
countries.
>The complete inability for parents to get involved in their childs
education
>is another factor with more and more control moving to state and federal
>levels.

Money per capita, when compared with actual as opposed to statistical
results is, in fact, dismal in the USA where we spend infinitely more money
to get equally poor results. Parents however, are far more likely to be
unwilling to be involved in their children's educational progress than they
are unable to be so. Most of what's wrong both in education and in life
itself here in the USA as it relates to children and their upbringing is
almost total parental refusal to take responsibility for their children and
to be responsible parents.
>
>Obviously, I'm a big supporter of alternative education including vouchers,

>tax credits for education expenses, etc. Here in Minnesota, gambling is tax

>deductable but education isn't!

I would be willing to support a "voucher system" providing it was not
possible to spend the vouchers at religious schools. Now as to "gambling is
deductible" am I right in assuming you mean "gambling losses"? Well, of
course, they should not be deductible. But educational costs are certainly
appropriate deductions, even to religious institutions. I just don't want
tax money to go to support some religious agenda.
>
>Even members of our local school board have told me that they wouldn't
>put their own kids into the public school...not to mention the number
>of student sucides lately here. I remember talking to the kindegarden
>teacher at the public school when considering to put my son there who
>told me that my son is too advanced and would only be entertained
>for a year since they teach to the lowest common demoninator.

I have two adopted sons, both of them extremely bright and talented kids (or

rather they were Kids some years ago)They both had problems in high school
because they were far brighter than their peers. One of them went on to
Berkeley and got a degree in Slavic Languages, the other is currently in
Yale, but he's really going to end up an artist-craftsperson. I myself went
to public schools a very long time ago and frankly no public school system
is geared for the bright child.
>
>Granted, there is a fringe of radical right that would cut out
>education that does not agree with their views and I certainly don't
>support that. However, I can understand the views of concerned
>parents who are opposed to some of the stuff taught to their
>kids.
>
>
>   -Mike Grenier
>   mike@planet8.eag.unisysgsg.com
>
The problem, I think, is to radically improve education and to prevent the
Radical Religious Right from coopting the situation for their own purposes.
The kids aren't really the problem. Irresponsible parents are, and basically

incompetent "time server" teachers are! That's what requires fixing. When
parents become more responsible, and teachers become more competent, the
kids will be well served. But there's one other question. Considering that
our teachers in the USA are vastly underpaid considering the value of their
product, and to go along with that they are the objects of almost totally
disrespect by American society, what can we expect?

alexis dolgorukii